2008
Conference 06: "Educating the Gifted: The Optimal Competitive Choice", Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, March 2008
The sixth (6) Conference of Arab Ministers of Education considered the topic: "Education of the Gifted: The Optimal Competitive Choice". The Director-General of the Organization submitted to the conference a report on the implementation of the recommendations of the fifth conference, and the results of the meeting of the conference experts who examined the six reference studies that had been prepared, which were collectively concerned with the education and care of the gifted, were also presented, namely:
- Pioneering experiences, Arab and international, in the education and care of the gifted. The reality of caring for the gifted in the Arab school.
- Integration between the state, the private sector and civil society in the education and care of the gifted.
- The reality of caring for the gifted in the Arab school.
- Integration between states, the private sector and civil society in the education and care of the gifted.
- Education of the gifted in the Arab world in teacher-training programmes. Towards an Arab strategy for developing creativity and caring for the gifted.
- Updating the guide to methods for identifying the gifted in basic education.
The conference, in the light of the in-depth discussions, opinions and proposals expressed by their Excellencies the Ministers and heads of delegations regarding the report of the Director-General and the report of the committee of experts, recommended the following:
Recommendations directed to the Arab states:
- Calling on the Arab states to establish national plans for nurturing giftedness and creativity within comprehensive development plans and programmes and those specific to education, in accordance with the legislation of each state.
- The ministries of education disseminating a culture of giftedness and creativity in the various sectors of society, with a focus on families and mothers, in coordination with the relevant bodies, especially the media.
- Educational institutions forming partnerships with the private sector and civil society institutions in order to prepare and fund joint programmes for nurturing giftedness and creativity.
- Calling on higher education institutions and teacher preparation and training institutes to include courses on giftedness and creativity in their programmes, in addition to introducing university programmes, preparing scientific research and providing supportive environments in the fields of giftedness and creativity.
- The ministries of education defining the professional competencies of teachers of the gifted, training them in-service and introducing special incentives for them.
- Calling on the Arab states to organize joint forums for gifted and creative Arabs and to participate in the Arab and international competitions dedicated to them in various fields.
- The ministries of education implementing national programmes for the early identification of the gifted and creative through effective and appropriate tools, mechanisms and measures, benefiting from the guide to methods for identifying the gifted prepared by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).
Recommendations directed to the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO):
- Establishing an Arab strategy for giftedness and creativity and an executive plan to benefit from it in preparing the national plans of the Arab states.
- Developing and updating the guide to methods for identifying the gifted and creative, including operational definitions and mechanisms for assessing the performance of the gifted and creative in the light of the study it prepared in this regard, provided that the guide includes professional standards for teachers of the gifted and creative.
- Establishing an integrated database for giftedness and creativity to facilitate work on exchanging Arab and international expertise.
- Tasking the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) to undertake the tasks of the committee following up the implementation of the resolutions and recommendations of the sixth Conference of Ministers of Education in the Arab countries.
The conference issued the "Riyadh Educational Declaration", in which the Arab Ministers of Education affirmed the need for greater focus on the knowledge-based economy and competition for gifted and creative talents.
Their Excellencies the Ministers also affirmed their commitment to giving giftedness and creativity the attention they deserve, as two fundamental pillars of education and development, through discovering, nurturing and investing the capacities of gifted and creative human talents in the Arab countries, and setting strategic plans commensurate with the nature of the challenges facing Arab societies
